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Heart of Darkness analysis

not think, but instead relies on gut instinct and his survival skills, which have allowed him to survive in the jungle as long as he had. Marlow tries to distance himself from Kurtz in his mind, but Marlow also tries to make himself believe that he is not like Kurtz and he will not and can not do the things Kurtz does. When he follows Kurtz he stays to the edge of the woods not venturing any further. This represents Marlow’s unwillingness to participate in Kurtz’s actions and atrocities. Marlow realizes that the Congo reveals the evil and savagery in an individual. Conrad also depicts Kurtz as a deity to the natives, allowing them to dance around him and be worshipped as a god. It appears that while Kurtz has been isolated from his culture, he has become corrupted by this violent native culture, and allows his evil side to control him. Marlow realizes that only very near the time of death, does a person grasp the big picture. Marlow describes Kurtz's last moments "as though a veil had been rent.” Kurtz's last "supreme moment of complete knowledge (pg. 68)," showed Marlow how horrible the human soul really can be. Marlow can only speculate as to what Kurtz sees that causes him to exclaim "The horror! The horror," but later adds that "since I peeped over the edge myself, I understand better the meaning of his stare (pg. 69)." Marlow guesses that at Kurtz’s death he suddenly revealed everything and discovers how horrible the duplicity of man can be. Through the death of Kurtz, Marlow can better reflect on himself as an individual and the changes that the jungle have made on him. He realizes the evil of Kurtz, and engages in attempting to rid himself of Kurtz’s influences. By allowing the stockpiled ivory of the inner station to float down the river, Marlow is acting in defiance of Kurtz’s stinginess and Kurtz’s willingness to kill over monetary goods. Marlow’s journey into the jungle parallel...

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